Ventilation valve for heaters, comprising a holding body and an axially displaceable valve body

ABSTRACT

A ventilation valve ( 2 ) for heaters ( 1 ) or heating installations is provided, with the valve including a holding body ( 4 ) and a valve body ( 5 ) which can be axially displaced in the holding body ( 4 ) and closes a ventilation channel in the initial position and opens the channel after being axially displaced, the course of the ventilation channel ( 6 ) deviates from an axial direction and the ventilation channel includes an inlet ( 7 ) located inside the heater. The ventilation channel ( 6 ) is located in the valve body ( 5 ) itself, and the valve body ( 5 ) can be axially displaced against a restoring force in relation to the holding body ( 4 ), with the inlet ( 7 ) being displaced out of the closed position inside the holding body ( 4 ) into the heater, after an axial displacement, and the valve body ( 5 ) and the holding body ( 4 ) can be adjusted in relation to each other in a rotational direction.

BACKGROUND

The invention relates to a ventilation valve for heaters or heatinginstallations, with the valve comprising a holding body that can bemounted in an opening or threaded opening of the heater or the heatinginstallation and comprising a valve body, which can be axially displacedon the holding body, which closes a ventilation channel in the initialposition, and which opens the same after being axially displaced, withthe inclined and/or angled and/or optionally curved course of theventilation channel deviating from an axial orientation and theventilation channel comprising an inlet, which is located inside theheater in the position of use and which is arranged higher than itsouter outlet.

A ventilation valve of this type is known from DE GM [German UtilityModel] 1 774 267 and also from DE GM 67 51 165. In both cases, theventilation channel is arranged in a heater and is closed or opened by aventilation screw, which is formed as a valve body and which can bedisplaced axially by means of a thread.

Here, it is difficult to arrange this ventilation valve and primarilythe holding body when the holding body is screwed in so that the inlethas the highest or highest possible position in the inclined or angledventilation channel within the heater, in order to be able to let off asmuch air as possible in the venting process. Furthermore, a separateventilation screw is to be provided and must be activated properly forventilation, wherein, as a rule, a special tool is also required.

Therefore, the objective arises of providing a ventilation valve of theabove-noted type, which simplifies the arrangement of the ventilationchannel in the desired position.

SUMMARY

To address this objective, the ventilation channel is arranged at leastpartially or completely in the valve body itself, the valve body isadjustable or displaceable relative to the holding body axially againsta restoring force, the upper inlet into the ventilation channel is movedin the closed position within the holding body and after axialdisplacement it is moved out of this holding body into the interior ofthe heater or the heating installation, and the valve body and theholding body can be adjusted relative to each other in the rotationaldirection.

Thus, the valve body can be adjusted or rotated relative to the holdingbody inserted into the heater or the heating installation at a latertime, so that the outlet obtains the lowest possible position andprimarily the inlet obtains the highest possible position in theinterior of the heater or the heating installation. For ventilation, itis then sufficient to move the valve body itself axially into theinterior of the heating installation or the heater, so that theinitially inaccessible inlet opening within the holding body isdisplaced into the ventilation channel in the interior, so that excessair can enter into the inlet and be discharged through the ventilationchannel. After the venting process, it is sufficient to let the valvebody move back into its closed position, which can be realizedautomatically by the restoring force.

It is particularly advantageous when the valve body can rotate forrelative adjustment relative to the holding body. If the ventilationchannel extends in a previously known way from a high inlet position toa lowest possible outlet position, it is sufficient to rotate the valvebody with the outlet, which is visible from the outside, so that theinlet automatically is as high as possible. Thus, the outlet can serveas a marking and can be used during the adjustment of the valve bodycontaining the ventilation channel.

The valve body can be displaced axially for the venting process and canbe pressed into the holding body against the restoring force. Therefore,special tools for the venting process are unnecessary. The operation isvery simple, because it is sufficient to press the valve body againstthe restoring force deeper into the holding body until the inlet intothe ventilation channel on the valve body is brought directly intoconnection with the interior of the heater or heating installation, sothat excess air can then be discharged. The venting process can also bestopped again by releasing the valve body in a simple way, because it isthen moved back into its closed position by the restoring force.

For the generation of the restoring force, a restoring spring,especially a compression spring, preferably—for a valve body that isdisplaceable or movable axially in a straight line when it isactivated—a coil spring, which can be tensioned when the valve body ispushed or pressed in, can be provided between the holding body and thevalve body. This produces an extremely simple and economicalconstruction.

The ventilation channel can be formed with a straight-line courserunning diagonally from the upper inlet to the lower outlet. Thisproduces an especially simple and consequently effective formation ofthe ventilation channel, in which the outlet can be used simultaneouslyas a marking, because the lowest position of the outlet automaticallymeans the highest position of the inlet. Thus, this embodiment is themost preferred solution to the previously mentioned problem.

To prevent undesired leakage, it is useful if the inlet into theventilation channel is sealed relative to the holding body and thusrelative to the interior of the heater or the heating installation inits resting or closed position.

Here, it is especially advantageous and useful if the inlet is arrangedon the peripheral surface of the valve body adjacent to its front side.Thus, the inlet can be shielded by the holding body relative to theinterior of the heater in the resting position of the holding body,which also simplifies a corresponding additional seal.

For example, for—additional—sealing of the inlet into the ventilationchannel on the annular or front surface of the holding body facing theinterior of the heater between the holding body and the adjacentperipheral surface of the valve body and here between the inlet and thefront side of the valve body directed towards the interior of the heateror the heating installation, a peripheral sealing ring can be provided.This produces a very effective seal between the interior of the heateror the heating installation and the inlet. Consequently, an axialadjustment of the valve body—together with the sealing ring—into theinterior of the heater produces free accessibility to the inlet in theventilation position.

On the side of the inlet into the ventilation channel facing the outerside of the heater or the heating installation, another sealing ringsurrounding the valve body can be provided. This improves the seal andalso prevents discharge of heating fluid between the holding body andthe valve body during the venting process, because this second sealingring remains in the interior of the holding body in the venting process.

The sealing ring/s can be arranged in an annular groove on the holdingbody and/or on the valve body. Especially favorable is an arrangement inannular grooves of the valve body, because the assembly and also, ifnecessary, replacement of one or both sealing rings is also simplified.

The sealing ring, which is especially important for the seal and whichis arranged on the front side of the holding body, is effectivelyarranged in an annular groove of the valve body and held by a safety orsnap ring arranged on the side facing away from the holding body,wherein this safety or snap ring is simultaneously used at leastindirectly via the sealing ring as an axial stop of the valve body onthe inner end of the holding body and/or as an axial support for thesealing ring. The safety or snap ring thus has a double function,because on one hand it prevents the valve body from being able to bedisplaced too far back or even removed axially from the holding body,and because it simultaneously also fixes the sealing ring on the frontside of the holding body relative to the valve body and thus tensionsthe sealing ring.

It should be mentioned that it can be useful if the sealing ring orrings are O-rings, which are available economically in nearly any size.

The outer dimension or the cross section of the valve body can be equalto or smaller than the inner cross section of the receiving opening ofthe holding body over its entire length engaging in the holding body andthe snap ring can be inserted or pushed in together with the valve bodyafter pushing in the valve body into the region then covering theholding body and can then spring into the holding and stop position byits spring force after emerging from the holding body. However,especially favorable is a snap ring, which is inserted after the valvebody is pushed in and is held within the corresponding annular groove byits spring force.

The outer front side of the valve body can be enlarged relative to theinner opening of the holding body as an activation or pressure surfaceand can have a distance corresponding to the adjusting or displacingpath of the valve body in its open position from a counter stop of theholding body in the closed position of the ventilation valve. Thissimplifies operation, because the user has available a sufficientlylarge pressure surface, whose enlargement relative to the other crosssection of the valve body can simultaneously also be used as a stop forlimiting the largest possible displacement.

Here, the outer front side of the valve body can be arranged countersunkin an expanded opening of the holding body completely or partially andespecially guided with its peripheral edge in this expanded opening ofthe holding body. Therefore, the guidance of the valve body is improvedin its axial displacement and possible tilting can be prevented. Inaddition, this enlarged outer surface permits the outlet of theventilation channel to open at a position, which is deeper than thelower meridian line of the actual valve body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention is described in more detail below withreference to the drawing. Shown in partial schematic representation are:

FIG. 1 is a view of a heater with an emphasized detail “Z” as themarking of the arrangement of a ventilation valve according to theinvention,

FIG. 2 is, at an enlarged scale, the detail “Z” in longitudinal sectionwith the ventilation valve, in which a valve body is adjustable in theaxial direction arranged in a holding body screwed into the heater andis moved into the open position,

FIG. 3 is a view at a further enlarged scale, of the ventilation valvein the open position, in which the valve body is pressed relative to theholding body in the axial direction, whereby a restoring spring istensioned, and

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 after letting off the pressure,with which the valve body was set in the open position, whereby it ispushed back into the closed position by the restoring spring.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A ventilation valve, which is designated as a whole with 2 is providedon a heater 1 and includes a holding body 4 that can be mountedaccording to FIG. 2 in a threaded opening 3 of the heater 1. Theventilation valve has a valve body 5 that can be adjusted axiallyrelative to the holding body 4 and that closes a ventilation passage orventilation channel 6 in the original position according to FIG. 4 andthat opens this channel for a venting process after axial adjustmentaccording to FIGS. 2 and 3. The ventilation channel 6 has a diagonalcourse deviating from an axial orientation and has in the interior ofthe heater 1—or optionally a heating installation—in the position of usean inlet 7, which is arranged higher than its outer outlet 8. In thisembodiment, the inlet 7 is provided at the highest possible position inorder to enable correspondingly effective venting of the heater 1.

It can be seen in the figures that this ventilation channel 6 is notarranged in the holding body 4, but instead is located in the valve body5 itself, and the valve body 5 is adjustable and displaceable relativeto the holding body 4 axially against a restoring force that isexplained in further detail below. This becomes clear primarily throughthe comparison of FIGS. 3 and 4.

It can be further seen in FIG. 4 that the upper inlet 7 into theventilation channel 6 is within the holding body 4 in the closedposition and therefore is inaccessible, and after the axial adjustmentit is moved from this position into the interior of the heater 1, sothat excess air can then be led from the heater 1 through theventilation channel 6 and its inlet 7 to the outlet 8 and thus into thesurrounding environment.

The valve body 5 and the holding body 4 can be adjusted relative to eachother in the rotational direction, so that the diagonal arrangement ofthe ventilation channel 6 can be located as effectively as possible, sothat the inlet 7 is as high as possible, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4.

Due to the round, circular cross sections of the valve body 5 and theinner opening of the holding body 4 receiving the valve body, the valvebody 5 can rotate for relative adjustment relative to the holding body4, so that the user only has to rotate the outlet 8 into a lowerposition in order to be certain that the inlet 7 is as high as possiblein the interior.

By comparing FIGS. 3 and 4, it becomes clear that the valve body 5 isdisplaceable for the venting process for axial adjustment and can bepressed against the already mentioned restoring force into the holdingbody 4 and thus the heater 1. This pressing force is depictedschematically in FIGS. 2 and 3 by the two arrows PF.

For generating the already mentioned restoring force between the holdingbody 4 and the valve body 5, in this embodiment a restoring spring 9 isprovided in the form of a compression spring, which here is formed as acoil spring and is tensioned when pushing or forcing in the valve body5.

For a simple production and simultaneously effective ventilation, theventilation channel 6 is formed with a straight-line course runningdiagonally from the upper inlet 7 to the outlet 8 through the middle ofthe valve body 5, as can also be seen well in FIGS. 2 to 4. The inletopening 7 into the ventilation channel 6 is here sealed in its restingor closed position according to FIG. 4 relative to the holding body 4and thus relative to the interior of the heater 1 or a heatinginstallation, so that undesired discharge of any medium from the heater1 or a heating installation is prevented.

Here, in an especially favorable way, the inlet 8 is arranged on theperipheral surface of the valve body adjacent to its front side 10, at aposition of the peripheral surface of the valve body 5, which comes tolie in the closed position in the interior of the holding body 4, sothat the inlet 8 is covered and sealed in the closed position by theinner wall of the holding body 4.

So that production of the parts is also possible with large tolerancesand nevertheless there is sufficient sealing, a peripheral sealing ring12 is also provided for sealing the inlet opening 8 into the ventilationchannel 6 on the annular or front surface 11 of the holding body 4facing the interior of the heater 1 between this holding body and theadjacent peripheral surface of the valve body 5 and here between theinlet 8 and the front side 10 of the valve body 5 directed towards theinterior of the heater 1 or the heating installation. One can recognizethis arrangement especially well in FIG. 4. This sealing ring 12, whichis effectively an O-ring, thus seals the front seam between the valvebody 5 and the holding body 4 in the closed position of the ventilationvalve 1, so that access to the ventilation channel 6 located in theinterior of the holding body 4 and its inlet 8 is prevented, and whenthe ventilation valve 1 is opened moves together with the valve body 5into the interior of the heater 1.

So that no hot water can emerge from the ventilation valve between theholding body 4 and valve body 5 during the venting process according toFIGS. 2 and 3, another sealing ring 13 surrounding the valve body 5 isalso provided on the side of the inlet 8 into the ventilation channel 6facing the outer side of the heater 1. This sealing ring also remainsduring the venting process according to FIG. 3 in the interior of theholding body 4—at least partially or according to FIG. 3 completely.

Here, one can see in the embodiment that the sealing rings 12 and 13 areeach arranged in an annular groove on the valve body 5, thus, they aredisplaced with this valve body. However, it would also be conceivablethat the sealing ring 13, for example, is arranged to a certain extentstationary in an annular groove arranged in the interior of the holdingbody 4.

Above all, the sealing ring 12 arranged near the front side 10 of thevalve body and on the front side 11 of the holding body 4 in the closedposition is arranged in an annular groove 14 of the valve body 5 and canbe held and supported on the side facing away from the holding body 4 bya safety ring or snap ring 22, shown in FIG. 2, but not shown forreasons of better overview in FIGS. 3 and 4. One can see on the valvebody 5 in the embodiment adjacent to the sealing ring 12 another annulargroove 15 with a larger inner radius relative to the annular groove 14,wherein such a snap ring 22 should and can be used. Such a snap ring 22can be used simultaneously at least indirectly via the sealing ring 12as an axial stop of the valve body 5 on the inner end 11 of the holdingbody 4 and also as an axial support for the sealing ring 12.

The outer dimension or the cross section of the valve body 5 is equal toor smaller than the inner cross section of the already mentionedreceiving opening of the holding body 4 over its entire length engagingin the holding body 4, also in the region of the front side 10 adjacentto the annular groove 15 and the annular groove 14. Thus the valve body5 can be pushed into the holding body 4 in the axial direction, afterwhich the snap ring can then be inserted into the groove 15, which islocated in a region of the valve body 5 that projects past the frontside 11 of the holding body both in the closed position and also in theopen position of the ventilation valve 1. Then, the ventilation valvecan be inserted, especially screwed, into the opening 3.

The outer front side 16 of the valve body 5 is enlarged relative to theinner opening of the holding body 4 as an activation or pressuresurface, which primarily also simplifies the handling. In addition, itcan also be used as a stop for limiting the displacement path of thevalve body 4 during the opening process.

By comparing FIGS. 3 and 4 it becomes clear that this enlarged frontside 16 in the closed position of the ventilation valve 1 has a distancecorresponding to the adjustment or displacement path of the valve body 5into its open position from a counter stop 17 provided on the holdingbody 4.

Thus, when venting, the user needs to press the valve body 5 past itsfront side 16 only until it goes no farther, because then thisactivation or pressure surface comes into contact with its enlargedcross section on the counter stop 17. Therefore, the inlet 7 is thenmoved sufficiently far out from the interior of the holding body 4, inorder to be able to discharge excess air located in the heater 1.

The outer front side 16 of the valve body 5 is here arranged countersunkin an expanded opening 18 of the holding body and also guided into thisexpanded opening 18 of the holding body with its peripheral edge, sothat tilting is also prevented during activation to the greatest extent.

Through the enlarged periphery and diameter of this front side 16, theoutlet 8 of the ventilation channel 6 can open at a position, which isdeeper than the lower meridian line of the valve body 5. The diagonalventilation channel 6 can thus be arranged steep accordingly, in orderto hold the axial length of the valve body 5 within limits. Because thevalve body 5 can be rotated relative to the holding body 4, the holdingbody 4 can be screwed into the corresponding opening 3 of the heater 1with its threads 19 and in this way sealed by means of a seal 20,without having to take into account the course of the ventilationchannel 6, because this can be set and rotated at a later time into theoptimum position. This optimum position is produced by the diagonalcourse of the ventilation channel 6 from its inlet 7 to the outlet 8through the middle of the valve body by itself, if the outlet 8 has thelowest possible position.

1. Ventilation valve (2) for a heater (1) or heating installation,comprising a holding body (4) that can be mounted in an opening orthreaded opening (3) of the heater (1) or the heating installation and avalve body (5), which is adjustable axially in the holding body (4),which closes a ventilation passage or ventilation channel (6) in a firstposition, and which opens the channel after axial displacement, whereinthe ventilation channel (6) has one of a diagonal or angled or curvedcourse deviating from an axial orientation and has an inlet (7), whichis located in an interior of the heater (1) in a position of use andwhich is arranged higher than an outer outlet (8) thereof, wherein theventilation channel (6) is arranged at least partially or completely inthe valve body (5), the valve body (5) is adjustable or displaceableaxially for opening the channel relative to the holding body (4) againsta restoring force, via which the inlet (7) of the ventilation channel(6) is biased into the closed position within the holding body (4) andafter axial displacement is moved out from the holding body to theinterior of the heater (1) or the heating installation while a peripheryof the valve body remains sealed against an inner periphery of theholding body, and the valve body (5) and the holding body (4) can beadjusted relative to each other in a rotational direction, and the valvebody (5) is axially displaceable for venting by being axially pressedfrom the first, closed position into the holding body (4) against therestoring force to an open position, and upon release, the restoringforce alone returns the valve body to the first, closed position. 2.Ventilation valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve body (5) canrotate relative to the holding body (4) for relative adjustment. 3.Ventilation valve according to claim 1, wherein for generation of therestoring force, a restoring spring is located between the holding body(4) and the valve body (5), which can be tensioned when pushing orpressing the valve body (5).
 4. Ventilation valve according to claim 1,wherein the axial displacement is generally horizontal and theventilation channel (6) has a straight-line course running diagonal fromthe upper inlet (7) to the outer outlet (8) which is positioned belowthe upper inlet.
 5. Ventilation valve according to claim 1, wherein theinlet (7) into the ventilation channel (6) is sealed in a resting orclosed position relative to the holding body (4) and thus relative tothe interior of the heater (1) or the heating installation. 6.Ventilation valve according to claim 1, wherein the outlet (8) of theventilation channel (6) opens or is arranged at a position, which islower than a lower sealing surface of the valve body (5) and the inneropening of the holding body (4).
 7. Ventilation valve according to claim1, wherein an outer front side (16) of the valve body (5) is enlargedrelative to an inner opening of the holding body (4) as an activation orpressure surface and in a closed position of the ventilation valve has adistance corresponding to an adjustment or displacement path of thevalve body (5) in an open position from a counter stop (17) of theholding body.
 8. Ventilation valve according to claim 7, wherein theouter front side (16) of the valve body (5) is arranged countersunk inan expanded opening (18) of the holding body and is guided especiallywith a peripheral edge thereof in the expanded opening (18) of theholding body.
 9. Ventilation valve according to claim 1, wherein theinlet (7) is arranged on a peripheral surface of the valve body (5)adjacent to a front side (10) thereof, and lies in the closed positionin an interior of the holding body (4).
 10. Ventilation valve accordingto claim 9, wherein a peripheral sealing ring (12) for sealing the inlet(7) to the ventilation channel (6) is located on an annular surface orfront surface (11) of the holding body (4) facing the interior of theheater (1), between the holding body and an adjacent peripheral surfaceof the valve body (5) and in this way provides a seal between the inlet(7) and the front side (10) of the valve body (5) directed towards theinterior of the heater (1) or the heating installation.
 11. Ventilationvalve according to claim 10, wherein another peripheral sealing ring(13) is located on the valve body (5) in the ventilation channel (6) ona side of the inlet (7) facing an outer side of the heater (1) or theheating installation.
 12. Ventilation valve according to claim 11,wherein the sealing ring or rings (12, 13) is/are arranged in an annulargroove on the holding body (4) and/or on the valve body (5). 13.Ventilation valve according to claim 10, wherein the sealing ring (12)arranged on the front side (10) of the holding body (4) is arranged inan annular groove (14) of the valve body (5) and is held by a safetyring or snap ring arranged on a side facing away from the holding body(4), wherein the safety ring or snap ring is used simultaneously atleast above the sealing ring (12) as an axial stop of the valve body (5)on an inner end (11) of the holding body (4) and/or as an axial supportfor the sealing ring (12).
 14. Ventilation valve according to claim 13,wherein an outer dimension or cross section of the valve body (5) isequal to or smaller than an inner cross section of a receiving openingof the holding body (4) over an entire length thereof engaging in theholding body (4) and the snap ring can be inserted into a region thenprojecting over the holding body after insertion of the valve body orcan be pushed in together with the valve body and after emerging fromthe holding body spring into a holding and stop position by a springforce thereof.